Debate continues in the circles of education levels regarding the appropriateness of sex education in education systems in the world. The big question that is raised in all these is the credibility of abstinence in sex education. In regard to sex education, it is of importance to acknowledge the fact that using the abstinence approach is one of the appropriate ways of addressing all the issues that point to the subject (Levesque 21). This is so because abstinence has been considered as the only option that sees to it that there is no other alternative offered in regard to preventing the young from engaging in sexual activities. This approach basically focuses on a teaching that spearheads total abstinence from sex and other sexual activities but it is sad to acknowledge that this is a bit unrealistic because 90% of these youths end up engaging in sex before marriage after all the teaching they get about abstaining.
Proponents of Abstinence advocate for the policy of love waits. This means that one has got to wait until marriage in order to engage in sex. This tends to rely a lot on religious beliefs as many religions advocate for this and that it is morally wrong or rather a sin if one engages in premarital sex. But this to a great extent seems to be very unrealistic because most young people especially adolescents are curious and will want to experiment and see what happens (Magoon 13). Most of them many a time end up suffering the consequences of premarital sex because they just wanted to experiment to see what happens. Adolescents are very naughty because they will want to try it to find out by themselves what sex is all about and therefore imposing abstinence on them will cause more curiosity in them.
Research has indicated that a majority of young people try out on sex in their late teen years. This is so because it is a bit convenient because most of them will have gotten out of high school or are in colleges and the assumption is that everyone else is doing it. Either way, some will get involved in sexual activities due to peer pressure or by the mere fact that, they are not in high school. This therefore indicates that the expectations that adolescents will totally abstain from sex until marriage is unrealistic (Moran 218). This therefore calls for other contraceptive measures and infection preventing means being taught to the youths.
Aside from it being morally wrong, there is no proof that sex between adolescents is harmful. In as much as it is said that the adolescents will have psychological problems, they will have such problems only if they did not use any protective measures such as use of condoms during intercourse to warrant an infection or pregnancy (Thomas 202). A comprehensive form of sex education that promotes safe sex and proper ways of using contraceptives should be taught in schools. Human sexuality has got more than meets the eye and the early young people are educated about it the better.
Abstinence- plus kind of education is the best kind of education that should be taught to adolescents because it tends to be all inclusive. An all inclusive kind of education is very appropriate as it has proven to be medically accurate as it encourages the youth to get sexually involved when they are ready, that is, when they are mentally, emotionally and physically mature(Martinson 116). Aside from this, safe sex education gives preference to setting of limits and the extent to which one can go. This means that a person is given an opportunity to use contraceptives as well as other measures that are going to help lower the risks of contracting sexually transmitted diseases more so HIV and AIDS and preventing unwanted and untimely pregnancies.
Safe sex and proper ways of using contraceptives should be taught in schools as it teaches children to set their own values and not pick on values that are imposed on them. This way the children will know how to let these values be the guideline on which they can base their relationships (Martinson 98). Secondly, the children are taught on how to go about handling pressure from within and from a partner. On the other hand, children will easily learn how to cope up with peer pressure, the media and every other thing or person that will be pushing them into engaging in sex and other sexual activities. With this kind of education and empowerment, then the children of this generation and the future will get liberated from a religious kind of stance in regard to sex.
A comprehensive kind of teaching or education that has got a scientific and medical backing fosters the well being of a society. In comparison to the abstinence only kind of approach that centers on morality, an all encompassed education holds a potentially lifesaving lesson or two (Moran 18). When the learnt skills are employed, the youth will be better placed in dealing with lifelong sexual issues. They are taught on how manage sex as a whole rather than literally making them feel guilty. Sex is a natural process after all which should be treated as naturally as possible so that the desired result in terms of growth and development is concerned.
It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that safe sex and proper ways of using contraceptives when taught in schools doesn’t lead to hastened sexual activity. This form of education does not in any way increase chances of increase in sexual activity but instead has demonstrated positive outcome, as in, postponing or delaying sexual activities among many adolescents as well as increased use of preventive measures of dealing with unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (Thomas 6). This has proven to be way too practical than over reliance on abstinence only as the only way out.
It is therefore with much consideration that the children of the world are taught to appreciate their bodies through being given proper knowledge about reproduction. Through this they will be able to appreciate themselves and the opposite genders respectively. Through this they will also know how to respect their own sexual orientations and those of others. Sex education should be done in a way that much importance is given to not only abstinence. Abstinence alone is not good enough, because where one fails to abstain; he or she should be given room to engage in safe sex (Thomas 48). Not every child will be in a position to abstain till marriage. It is surprising that in as much as abstinence is taught; only a small percentage abstains till marriage. Abstinence is good but safe sex and proper ways of using contraceptives should go hand in hand with it and therefore should be taught in schools.
Works Cited
Levesque, Roger. Sexuality Education: What Adolescents’ Rights Require. New York: Nova
Science Publishers. 2003. Print
Magoon, Kekla. Sex Education in schools. Minneapolis: ABDO Publishing Company. 2009.
Print
Martinson, Floyd. The Sexual Life of Children. Westport: Greenwood. 1994. Print
Moran, Jeffrey. Teaching Sex: The Shaping of Adolescence in the 20th Century. Cambridge:
Harvard University. 2000. Print
Thomas, Robert. Sex and The American Teenager: Seeing Through The Myths and Confronting
The Issues. Lanham: R & L Education. 2009. Print
